Kicking Cancer's A$$!

WOW - so, AMAZING news from my dear Evie!!! After her 7th or 8th round of chemo, it was time for a PET scan on Tuesday to see how the treatment was responding, and if the tumors were shrinking...so she called me last night to say - she's negative for malignancy! I could hear the elation and sheer joy in her voice and if I hadn't been driving on 2-85, I would have done a happy dance right then and there! I squeeled in excitment. I knew she was having the test on Tuesday and I just wanted to hold my breath ever since, so I was relieved to know it was good news. While she still will probably have to do a little more chemo to kill off any residual cancer cells, this is a HUGE milestone and I'm so happy for my lovely friend. She says she hasn't been this happy since her wedding day - so this is a pic of Eve and her awesome hubby Michael on their amazing day! And so it was...I remember the love and pure happiness that was present on this day - a beautiful weekend. Hard to believe she started chemo 3 or 4 days after this picture was taken.

But sadly though, in the last week I just learned of a person I know from my work circles who has cancer - non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I had no idea, and I understand he was diagnosed around the same time as Eve in October. I've reached out to him through a letter, so I hope to hear more about how he's doing. It sounds as if maybe he's had a difficult time. Just another reminder that there still are so many people we need to constantly keep in our thoughts and keep supporting - through our friendship and love, volunteering or raising money. Through Eve's experience I've learned just how grueling this disease is, how awfully painful it can be. So, I will continue to do this thing for Eve and all the other people who are on their individual journeys. To all of you out there - I'm sending you good TNT vibes!

Well, my training continues - much more consistent than ever, which feels good. I'm trying to be careful with my right knee. Although I had surgery a few years ago, it still likes to remind me it's a bum knee. I'm up to about 4-5 miles, 3 to 4 times during the week and 5 miles on Saturday. Tomorrow morning is a big day - 8 miles with the group. Might not seem like much, but since a 10K is the longest I've run in a stretch, it's really setting in that I will be running 13 straight in less than 60 days! Ed keeps reassuring me that I'll make it - so why question the man? - he's done something like more than 115 marathons. Surely he wouldn't lead me astray. So all in all, it's going well. My definition for cold sure has changed, since now I think nothing of going out in 30-degree weather. I make the Wednesday night buddy runs and hit the treadmill, even though I really don't care for the machine. I think it's evil, actually, but more on that some other day.

Time to rest up for tomorrow - Purple Power, people, Purlpe Power!!